Brook looks to forget last year

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, September 3, 2002

Clear Brook football coach James Smith said he learned a valuable lesson last year.

"I got an awakening," said Smith. "A great line can not make an otherwise mediocre team behind it."

The Wolverines had some beef and talent in the offensive line, but their pool of backs had run out the year before. The result was a 0-10 record, only the second losing season in the 12-year history of the Brook varsity football program. The first was in the Wolverines' initial year of varsity football, 1990, and that was 4-5-1. After that they were all winning campaigns. Until last year.

Still, last season four players from Clear Brook signed Division I scholarships, attesting to the Wolverine program. But Brook didn't have the players needed in the critical areas of defense and offense for winning games. It was just the right blend to guarantee a losing season.

"We gave up a lot of points last year (33 points a game) and the bottom line is we didn't score a lot of points to help the offense," Smith said. The Wolverines lost 30 lettermen to graduation.

Just because District 24-5A was reduced by two teams (Pearland, La Porte) and is now a 6-team league, won't improve Brook's chances to making the playoffs if Smith can't get the maximum out of his returning starters (five from offense, six from defense) and other returnees from the varsity and sub-varsity teams.

But Smith is anything but pessimistic. A bit cautious, yes, but sees definite daylight in the tunnel. Like always, he's looking forward to the season.

"First of all, we have a pretty good mix of juniors and seniors. I love it," he said.

He feels the Wolverines will score more and enjoy it more, also.

"Our goal is to try and score at least three touchdowns a game," he said.

To do that, will be with basically a new offensive line.

Handling those offensive signals will be senior quarterback Josh DeLeon, who can also kick field goals although junior James Cohn has been deemed the team's place kicker. Cohn nailed a 52-yarder last season. DeLeon has distance, too. He booted a 48-yard field goal.

But what Smith will be counting on is DeLeon's distance ability in throwing the ball to swift receivers such as Morgan Taylor, a 5'-10", 165-pound junior. Juniors looked as running the ball include Kent Etienne (6-170) and Scott Allcorn (6-180) and seniors Aaron Trevino (5-11, 195) and Adrian Callis (5-10, 190).

Many coaches feel it's the defense that wins the games. It keeps the opponents away from your end zone and gives you the ball back.

"Right now our defense is ahead of the offense," Smith said. "We've got some players there that will carry us to some wins."

Smith smiles when mentioning his defense, with the likes of linemen Uche Osadebe. At 6-3, the senior is pushing the scales past the 250-pound mark. Then there is defensive end Anthony Hill, another senior who towers at 6-2 and 255-pounds. Lamont Lagrone is expected to go both ways as a receiver and defensive back.

While Clear Creek and Clear Lake got a jump on the season with games of Aug. 30, the Wolverines begin Friday, Sept. 6, with a visit to Strake Jesuit.

Big games this season for Brook will be the 24-5A opener against Galveston Ball on Oct. 11 in District Stadium. That will also be Brook's homecoming. The traditional rivalry contests will follow against Creek (Oct. 18) and against Lake (Nov. 1). Interestingly enough, the Wolverines have three Saturday day contests this season.

Clearly, Smith wants to keep Brook from being the district doormat for the second year in a row.

If numbers and size are any indication, the recruits coming up may bring the Wolverines back as a powerhouse that made the playoffs eight years in a row in the 1990's.

"We have some good players coming up, especially some great freshmen," Smith said. "They're skilled and they've got size. I think in the next two years Clear Brook will be back."

In the meantime, the first steps toward coming back will be taken this season, he adds.